Top 5 Reasons I’ll Be Sticking With Google+

I was invited weeks ago, but put off joining Google+ until recently. Then, I waited `til I had a few dedicated hours to delve into the network. I confess, part of me really wanted Google+ to fail. After all, it’s just one more Social Network I have to learn. And Facebook’s hype-machine has desensitized me…

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Why Your Blog Is Your Social Media Hub

“Smart social media marketing is always paired with a well-planned and well-maintained blog.” At Well Planned Web, we utter that phrase at least 10 times a week and include it in every presentation we give. Why? It’s simple. The Social Networks are swimming with partiers and elbow-rubbers. As I like to say, “Any Monkey Can Tweet.” But,…

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How to Mutilate a Social Media Contest

Okay, so I’m ALL for coming up with creative ways to engage customers online. In fact, as social media consultants we offer creative ideas and solutions every day. But, when does a creative contest simply become way too much work for the customer? Companies are forever talking about the ROI of social media. But what…

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The Most Essential Part of Your Blog’s Design

YOU! Hmmm… I could actually just end this post right there. 🙂 It really IS that simple. As a Thought Leader, your impact doesn’t end with the content. You also need to dominate your blog’s design. That means incorporating an image of YOU in your blog’s masthead, header or another prominent, site-wide area. Feeling shy…

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7 Ways to Show Tweeters Some Love at Your Next Event

As savvy presenters know, it pays to double-check all critical “production” elements before each speech. Your mic, projector, platform—it all paves the way for how well your audience perceives and absorbs your presentation. So, what about making it easy for your audience to SHARE your content? Yes, today, it’s not uncommon to see audience members…

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6 Ways to Promote Your Blog on LinkedIn

These days, LinkedIn is the often-forgotten “quiet” social network. It doesn’t get the hype of other social media, but it packs a powerful punch when it comes to reaching your professional network. Unlike Facebook, there’s no weeding through YouTube links or cousin Jenny’s baby pics. LinkedIn delivers your professional peeps in one tidy network. So…

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I Dare You To Become a Real-Time Expert

What the heck is a “real time” expert? It’s an expert who continuously communicates advice, questions, challenges and thoughts with their audience or customer. A real-time expert doesn’t publish a book and walk away. They feed their audience with their views on current events, industry news, shake-ups, best practices and epiphanies. They produce a stream…

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Got Twitter? Start Blogging.

With the swarm of Twittermania, some once speculated that blogs were a dying breed. However, it’s because of Twitter and other emerging social media that blogs are more alive and necessary than ever before! Recently, TechCrunch’s Erick Schonfeld compared the future of Blogging and Microblogging. He references statistics that show Twitter’s flattening growth, while WordPress’…

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